Keith Urban’s ‘Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)’ Was Inspired by His Father’s Death

Keith Urban had his dad on his mind when he started writing "Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)," a song from his upcoming Ripcord album. But the track is not a tribute to Robert Urban as much as it is a reminder to enjoy life.

Urban recalls flying from Los Angeles to Nashville, thinking about his father, who died in December. "When you lose people, I think it shocks you into going, 'Where did they go? I want to believe that there’s something more, but right now’s still real," the singer explains.

"We’re never going to get time back."

"Gone Tomorrow" is the opening track on Ripcord, Urban's ninth studio album, available May 6. It's an uptempo fusion of country, rock and electronica that even finds the country superstar unleashing his own rap-like bridge midway through. Lyrically the track encourages listeners to embrace the present. Jeff Bhasker and Samuel Tyler Johnson helped him finish the song.

"The song started with a cool little drum loop that I played the ganjo over," Urban adds. From there Bhasker helped him finish it quickly. Crunchy guitars and that heavy drum loop dominate. The end result is representative of an album that seems to further push the genre forward, much like Urban did with Fuse in 2013.

Slowly, the details of Ripcord are being revealed. Fans can expect collaborations with Carrie Underwood and Pitbull, as well as singles like "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16," "Break on Me" and "Wasted Time." Bhasker leads a group of producers and writers previously unfamiliar to country audiences. Urban literally explored the world to find the songs and writers he needed for the album.